Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-14
PUBLIC SCHOOL MANAGEMENT.
An Interview With COnmnafssioner
Webb.
HIS REVIEW OF SCHOOL LEGISLATION AND THE QUz
TONS NOW BEING DISCUSSED.

Webb.
HIS REVIEW OF SCHOOL LEGISLATION AND TIE CUES
TONS NOW BEING DISCUSSED.
Commissioner Webb having referred this morn
ing to the recent discussion OF school matters,
STAR reporter asked him: evil you explain the
connection between the Commissioners and the
board OF trustees in relation to the management
OF the public schools?"
certainly, said Mr.. Webb, squaring himself in
his chair and fitting 1t back against the wall, II
viii do 1t with pleasure. The organic act, under
which the present form OF government has its ex-
istence; that is, the act OF June IL, 1878, EN-
titled AN act providing for permanent form OF
government for the District OF Columbia In these
words diSpoSes Of the Board or School Trustees
nexlstlng; From and after the first day OF July
elgnteer hundred and seyentyeght, the Board OF
ers and duties transferred to the Commissioners Of
the District OF Columbia This act further provides
number OF persons trustees public schools in the
District OF Columbia, who shall perform the duties
IN relation TO the management OF the public
scno0ls which are now authorized by law. am
SORRY TO DIFFER FROM Mr.. LARNER
In the Interpretation Of this statute which, to my
mind entirely changes the relation OF the trustees
to the schools and the Commissioners, but I am
consoed by the fact that the attorney for the Dis
trict, and any other lawyer with whom I have con-
versed on the subject agrees with me In my opin-
ion. 1t makes no difference in this regard that
the present trustees have organized themselves
dealings with Them the legal Interpretation OF the
words OF the law remain unchanged. To these
trustees, under whatever name called, the Com
missioners are OF opinion that the management Of
the schools Is entrusted, and 1t will be found upon
investigation that tho Commissioners and the
trustees were
NEVER MORE HARMONIOUS
than they are at present. It will be
remembered that the present commissioners
were of opinion that in making their es-
Inmates for the appropriation for the coming
nscai year Inere was nothingin the organic act
tnat required them to state In detail either the
number OF school buildings needed or the location
or the sites for such buildings required for
that year: / still think that The Commission
ers were right in their opinion, and in this too
have the satisfaction OF knowing that am sus-
tanned by very many OF those who have given the
subject any consideration. But it was found ne
cesSary, IN order to get the estimates before the
committee on appropriations, to yield TO the de-
mand, never made before, OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury, and the trustees were called upon to
make report designating the particulars re-
CURED. Mr.. Larner has stated the substance OF
lnat report which was adopted by the commits,
second division. And 1t Is
A LITTLE REMARKABLE,
In view OF what Mr.. Larner claims for the efforts
OF the committee OF which he speaks, that the
ond division Is not mentioned in the bill us re-
ported to and passed by the House OF Representa-
lives nor In the bill considered in committee and
reported TO the Senate. No provision was made
for the second division until the bill was reported
from the conference committee, and then, to the
for two In that division But one con-
cluSOn can be reached from this condition OF aarA
and that is unavoidable, that the second division
was not regarded by the school authorities as re-
qufring any additional school facilities, and only
got them through the persistence OF men who, un-
mindful OF the general interests OF the public
schools OF the District urged the appropriation OF
money for their own section only.
The Commissioners in all that they do or have
done, so far, have had at all times
THE INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM
In view, and in making their estimates for the ex
penditure OF the sum for which they asked, and
which was more than had been asked for several
years, sought to apportion that sum to the best
advantage or the whole District. 1t Is on this ac-
count, and because the demand for High School
training has become 80 increased in our COM
munlty, and because that training is
SO Important, that an appropriation COM
mensurate with that demand was asked.
relative value OF high school and primary educa-
ton there can be no question that in this country
as things are, It Is hardship to deny to the as
the high school II 1t can be obtained without sac
rlnclng other and more primary schools. These
two schools are inseparable and depend the one
upon the other for the complete education OF our
children. This the Commissioners endeavOred to
accomplish. and, II they had not been prevented,
they think they would have done a great good to
the educational system OF the whole District.
THE QUESTION OF SALARIES.
What Mr.. Larner means by attributing to me
any hand In increasing the number and salaries
OF principals and professors in the high schools
passes comprehension. The statement is not only
sioner could by any possibility increase the num-
Der or salaries OF any officer OF the Government,
and such thing has never been attempted. The
former BOARD OF trustees did adopt as the Sched-
ule OF salaries of teachers prior tOJanuary l1SS5
and did report 10 the commissioners that schedule
increasing considerably the salaries OF a number
teachers woo
l became Commissioner. Unfortunately this
schedule excluded the appropriation made by Con-
gcs .o ome OF salarles and when the
the auditor OF the District their salaries had to be
reduced. Most OF our citizens and all the teachers
Will remember the disappointment that this con-
dition OF things, due entirely to the action OF the
DOarQ OF trustees. produced
ADEFIcIENcY OF 900
was created and all that had to do with It waste
add the note to the deficiency bill and DO what
1 could to aid the teachers in obtaining the pas
sage OF that bill Here Is the note" said Mr..
Webb, pulling down copy OF the supplemental
deficiency estimates for the year OF 1885, and
handing 1t to the reporter who read the following
fiscal year 1856 submitted, $4,000" "Note.
this deficiency arises from the fact that under q
decision OF the commissioners OF the District OF
Columbia, dated January 26 1882, that the Com
cannot approve OF any scale of teachers
salaries In excess OF appropriation by Congress,
and and that within the limit OF such appropriation
they consider 1t to be the exclusive function OF
the board OF school trustees to arrange
and fix the scale Of salaries the salaries were SO
liked as TO exceed the appropriation for the cur
rent nSca year, by reason whereof the Salaries OF
the teachers were reduced 3 per cent. This was
done without any fault On the part OF the teachers
and as they contracted for the salaries O6ered
them, 1t Is equitable that they should be paid
That Endorsement" continued Mr.. Webb. II
penned with my own hand.
SELECTION AND PURCHASE OF school. SITES
cannot follow Mr.. Larner in what he says
about the selection and purchase Of Sites have
said all that think necessary on that subject. I
was ignorant OF the efforts OF the citizens commit
tee to guide Congress in its deliberations about
the needs OF the District, and had known OF those
enOrtS Should certainly have urged that all action
In that direction should operate with the efforts
OF the Commissioners. 1t is apparent, think,
that good has come out OF the efforts OF the citi
Gems committee to the extent OF the appropriation
OF $4,000 tor school buildings in the second
division, and to that extent only. How
Tar TINS cOmpenSateS for the failure OF
all appropriation for the High school or for
buildings in other divisions where they are con-
fessedly needed remains to be seen. must leave
Mr.. Larners comments upon the examination for
admission 10 the High School, the methods OF
teaching and other questions that are more within
the range or the expert educator, because con-
less know little or nothing about them. repeat
what nave said before, and | am sorry TO see, to
MI. Larners disgust, that such things are matters
Tor the trustees OF schools and again ask: For
what nave we trustees OF schools II not to settle
this very natter"
Mr.. COrcOran's Condition.
MI. COrcOran's condition remains UNCHANGED
since yesterday. He eats heartily and is cheerful
The first OF July has been nxed as the time for
him 70 leave the city on his usual summer vaca-